Meet Ton-Ton's friend Steggy the Stegosaurus. Cat rescued him from a $2 store during our last trip to Canada. Since then, he's been clamoring for his own article series. At the same time, my vegan and vegetarian friends have started introducing me to some of the great meat-free restaurants in California. Put the two together and you have Steggy's Veggies, my new showcase for vegan and vegetarian fare.

Vegans and vegetarians have long been plagued by the lack of options at casual dining establishments. Let's face it. If you're an herbivore out for a quick lunch with carnivorous friends, you're pretty much screwed. You get a couple of items to choose from, they get the whole damn menu. Instead of being a pleasurable break from work, the meal becomes something to be endured just so you can hang out with your buddies.

Even health-conscious omnivores can have problems finding restaurants that allow them to make smart decisions without sacrificing their taste buds. Given the choice between the easy affordability and convenience of the closest McCrap Shack equivalent, and the expense of a time-consuming sit-down restaurant, cube warriors around the country are risking expanding bottoms for the sake of their bottom lines. Good health just isn't on the menu.

It was deprived herbivores and beleaguered omnivores that Ray White, former co-founder of Native Foods in Costa Mesa, had in mind when he created the Veggie Grill. With a flagship store in Irvine and recently-opened sister store in El Segundo, the Veggie Grill offers a casual dining experience with vegan soups, salads, and sandwiches at reasonable prices. Their specialty is custom-formulated imitation meat created by drawing on over 3,000 years of vegan culinary traditions from Asia. However, you can be sure that no animal products of any type will be found in their restaurants. Everything you order is 100% vegetable-based, hence the name.

(Panda tested, dino approved.)

By combining wheat gluten, tempeh, and soy protein, all common meat replacements in Asia, with Western cooking techniques and seasonings, the creative minds behind the Veggie Grill have created delicious mock meat capable of satisfying even the most rabid carnivore. Take their Chill Out Wings. Made from tightly wound sheets of seasoned soy protein, deep fried, and coated in a tangy BBQ sauce, they have a taste and texture that would make you swear you were eating chicken. They're served with two vegan dips; a creamy chipotle ranch and a fiery hot sauce. Sampled alone, the dips are both quite nice. However, mix them together and you've got a party in your mouth.

Although soups and salads are offered, the real stars on the Veggie Grill's menu are its signature sandwiches. Served on a whole wheat bun with a side of coleslaw, each sandwich features a different vegan "meat". The Chipotle BBQ, made with grilled slices of wheat gluten and caramelized onions, is one of my favorites. The bits of char on the outer edges add a summery flare to the savory gluten's natural chewiness, while the spicy chipotle sauce makes your tongue dance.

Another great sandwich is the Santa Fe Crispy Chickin'. A patty of imitation chicken is country-fried and topped with avocado, salsa relish, and a vegan Southwestern mayo. The crunchy outer shell provides a pleasant contrast to the soft bun. Similarly, the Grillin' Chickin'(pictured below) offers an equally tasty alternative without deep-frying.

By default, each sandwich comes with a small side of the Veggie Grill's refreshingly coleslaw. However, for a few dollars more, you can get the Sweetheart Fries instead. These delicious sweet potato fries come scattered along your plate like heap of golden brown Lincoln Logs. You can also get them as a stand-alone appetizer, but you'll probably need to share them with a friend. It's a big plate.

If, for some inexplicable reason, you're tempted by the Steamin' Kale, resist. The cloying ginger-miso dressing does little to mask the earthy bitterness of the kale. There's probably a reason it's the only cooked vegetable on the menu.

(No, Steggy, that's my cheesecake.)

You'll definitely want to save a little room for dessert. The Veggie Grill's Chocolate Pudding(first picture) provides a surprisingly dense, intensely chocolaty encounter. Cat and Steggy always start their meal off with a cup of this stuff. Despite its appearance, the Pumpkin Cheesecake is excellent. I can't even tell that it's vegan. I've never had a cheesecake made without cream cheese that tasted so good.

(Chill Out Wings without sauce, the best way to have them.)

The Veggie Grill - A healthy and delicious alternative for lunch. I highly recommend it to everyone, regardless of dietary preference. It's a liberating experience for vegans and vegetarians, and an enlightening one for carnivores.

Summer may not seem like the best time to bake, but the warm, humid weather is perfect for proofing light, flavorful dough. These nutty, soft rolls are great toasted for breakfast or enjoyed with a bit of tea. If you start the recipe mid-afternoon, you'll be able to enjoy them just as the day begins to cool.

Combine the boiling water, oats, and barley in the heat-proof bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit for at least one hour.

Dissolve the sugar in the water, add the yeast, and let it bloom for five minutes.

Combine the bread and whole wheat flour. Knead most of the olive oil into the flour until evenly distributed. Retain a small amount of the oil.

Mix the dissolved yeast, milk, and flour together and knead until fully incorporated (roughly five minutes). Add the last cup of flour a little bit at the time. The dough should be a little sticky, not too dry. Retain any leftover flour and add to the bench flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for fifteen minutes.

Knead the dough for another fifteen minutes until smooth. Add a little of the bench flour if the dough is too moist. The dough should be tacky to the touch, but should not stick to your hands. Form the dough into a ball.

Using the last of the oil, coat the inside of the mixing bowl and dough ball. Place the dough in the mixing bowl and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size (roughly an hour).

Instructions:

Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a floured surface. Thoroughly drain the oats and barley, and mix in the crushed walnuts and salt. Fold the nut and grain mixture into the dough and knead gently until evenly distributed throughout.

Divide the dough into 10-12 equal portions. Roll each piece out into a 6-8 inch length roughly the diameter of a quarter, then tie the dough once into a round knot. Try to avoid compressing the dough as much as possible.

Place each knot on the sheet pan evenly spaced a few inches apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size again (roughly 30 minutes).

Heat your oven to 425ºF. Bake the rolls for 15 minutes until golden, brown, and delicious. Move to wire racks and let rest for at least an hour.

My preferred way of enjoying these is warm and with a little jam or honey.

7/08/2008

The blog has been pretty quiet recently, although I think I have some pretty good excuses. The past few weeks have been spent busy with work, my brother's graduation, a friend's bachelor party (Vegas baby!), and a trip Cat and I took to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. However, vacation time is over (*sob*) and there are new articles on the horizon. I promise.

Here's a sneak peek at a new recipe for Whole Grain Bread Knots that I think I'll be ready to post on either Friday or Saturday. I've also got a gorgeous photo spread and restaurant review that I'm working on for next week. In the meantime, I thought I'd share some photos of my little brother's graduation from Stanford University.

Some of you might remember that I wrote about Stanford University's zany "Wacky Walk" in a post on my little sister's graduation last year. This year's display was possibly crazier and more fun with a mastodon hunt, giant cardboard school bus, Crayola Crayon costumes, and signs in a number of different languages thanking the parents.

One of the things I love about Stanford's commencement ceremony is the sense of irreverent fun with which the faculty, staff, and students approach the event. Stanford is among the top four universities in the United States. The graduating students have every right to be proud of their accomplishments, yet their willingness to poke fun at themselves shows flattering humility. This modesty allows everyone to enjoy the ceremony even if they, like me, weren't fortunate enough to be admitted.

(I love my 300mm lens.)

The highlight of this year's commencement was the keynote address by Oprah Winfrey, whose god-daughter was among the graduating class. I've never seen one of Oprah's shows, but after hearing her speak, I understand why she's such an influential force. The speech she gave about finding oneself through service to the greater good was truly inspirational.

(My sister's boyfriend.)

I also think that Stanford's custom of splitting the actual awarding of individual degrees into individual ceremonies organized by department or school is very well thought out. It creates a sense of intimacy that parents and family members appreciate. Because of this, my brother, sister, and I were able to attend the ceremony for my sister's boyfriend...

(My brother and my parents.)

... and then nip over to attend my brother's ceremony.

(Sometimes I wonder about him...)

I'm proud of you little brother. Congratulations on graduating! We all love you very much.